Yellow lights in California..

[curtisaa]

Turns out after a little research, CVC, #25950 says a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visable from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or yellow, except as follows:
1.Rear side markers
2. The color of foglamps described in section 24403 may be in the color spectrum from white to yellow.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Hey Mikey, do you know anything different??

Cheers,
Curt

[cegerer]

Cool. As discussed on the Early S board, the yellow headlights are definitely legal on the Federal level in both the USA (US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, FMVSS108) and Canada ( Canadian Vehicle Safety Standard #108 and #108.1). I guess everyone needs to check their individual state or provincial laws to see if a conflict exists there. From the reports in LA, the CHP's are unaware of the law and are issuing tickets anyway. This would probably be the case in other states as well. Obviously, these tickets could be fought in court. But for sure, they are a guaranteed method of attracting attention from the police!! Maybe a copy of the Federal and State codes needs to be carried in the glove box! -- Curt

[john walker's workshop]

na, wouldn't work. the cops would have to read it, and they don't like to be told to do that. tell it to the judge is the usual comment.

[curtisaa]

She ran 2 copies of the California code for my glovebox and 1 copy of the 52 page Federal Statue...........

[82SC]

what lights are we talking?
is it headlights or fog light??

[pbs911]

The Code, section (b)(1), states European tail lights are also legal

here is a link to the Code:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=625883944+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

I get enough of this at work!

[cegerer]

These are the French amber/yellow H1 headlight lenses. John's right of course! The only thing worse than telling the cop he's wrong, would be to pull out the actual law and read it to him!!!!!!

[cegerer]

Here's a photo:

[Randy W]

I don't suppose we'll be seeing any of those Frenchie yellos showing up at Cambria, will we?

Tanks, Dave!

[cegerer]

I've found another link from Daniel J. Stern - the headlight guru! He states that "New Jersey and several other Eastern Seaboard states" specifically require white headlights. Most states don't specify.

http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/lights/light_color/

He also indicates that Washington and Oregon specifically permit the use of European-spec (E-code) headlights due to frequent fog conditions. Hey Paul, yellow H1's on the green S? Now that would be in-vogue

[emcon5]

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I go out of my way not to draw attention to myself with law enforcement.

I really think whipping out a copy of the vehicle code while you are pulled over probably isn't a good idea. Police are like every other profession, in that the vast majority are really good people. The problem is the few that are jerks.

The jerks are the guys who would really be irritated by you quoting chapter and verse. If you irritate a jerk, you will get a ticket, though probably not what you got pulled over for.

Tom

[curtisaa]

Why aren't you driving a Tauras???????

[emcon5]

Originally posted by curtisaa
Why aren't you driving a Tauras???????

Because I would end up naked in a clocktower with a deer rifle if I had to drive a Taurus for any length of time

911's draw enough attention, I just don't want to add any more.

Tom

[jabb]

Just Curious how many are running the Yellow lights how long have you been runnig them and how many times if any have you been pulled over.... Oh and where are you located.....

I am located on the East Coast....

[plain fan]

Forgive my ignorance, but why would you want to run the yellow? Is it a nod to the "ricers" or is it a finger to them?

[stomachmonkey]

I've noticed something interesting. I have always driven cars that "stick out".

I am the Creative Director for a video game publisher so my appearence, casual dress, long hair and ever present shades, tends to make local law enforcement think I "borrowed" the car or am carrying a large quantity of illegal substances.

In NY state we have registration and inspection stickers in the lower right corner of our windshields and are required to have a front plate. It always amazes me how a police officer passing you from the opposite direction at 50 mph could pick out an expired sticker with nothing more than a casual glance.

My 911 is, for the short term, registered at our FL residence. FL does not require a front plate and the registration stickers go on the back plate. Nothing in the window.

Oddly the lack of any stickers in the window does not seem to phase the local police. I have been driving the car daily since December and keep wondering when I will get pulled over but they don't seem to notice.

So maybe the trick is to be so utterly obvious about something that they think it's OK because who would be so stupid to think they could get away with it. Kinda like hiding in plain sight.

Scott

[Jgordon]

Stomach -- My car is registered in NY, and I ran without a front plate for a while. Went through 3-4 sobriety/terrorist/we need money at the local precinct-type stops, and they never caught it. FInally, I drove over to Broadway and parked for dinner, came back out to a ticket. Just wanted to *****. Keep the car registered in FL as long as possible.

[gregk1]

I have yellow's on my Bright yellow 66 and haven'had a problem (yet)But I will be moving to Milton with the Girlfriend soon, her house is two blocks away from the cop shop, So we shall see how long it will take I think it is one of those things when you say, it's not if it's when, I will keep you posted

[speeder]

It seems that C.V.C. #25950, (quoted in original post), would prohibit the annoying blue (xenon?) headlights that so many cars have now. Anyone know? Are those considered white? TIA.

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by cegerer
I've found another link from Daniel J. Stern - the headlight guru! He states that "New Jersey and several other Eastern Seaboard states" specifically require white headlights. Most states don't specify.

http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/lights/light_color/

He also indicates that Washington and Oregon specifically permit the use of European-spec (E-code) headlights due to frequent fog conditions. Hey Paul, yellow H1's on the green S? Now that would be in-vogue

Sorry Curt, my car is going to stay with the clear lenses...I don't like anything French these days.